FAQ

QHow do you balance ministry, motherhood, and marriage?

A

Priscilla has the same concerns as most working moms about balancing life. She remembers walking through my neighborhood one morning about eight weeks before my second son was born. I prayed, “Lord, how do I balance being a wife, mother, and a woman in ministry? If You do not supernaturally balance all of this, then I don’t know what I will do!” I will never forget His answer to me. I watched as the sun rose in the sky, the birds began to sing and the world came to life that morning. He whispered, “If I can balance all of this, I can balance your life!” I have trusted Him ever since to help me, day-by- day, to figure out how this should all work.

I cannot begin to tell you how difficult this balancing act is physically and emotionally. Jerry and I firmly believe that God has given us clear direction that this ministry is what He wants us to do (at least for now), so we assume that He will provide the means for us to do it and He has.

My husband and I are in ministry together. Jerry and I both work from home all week long. This means that we get to spend a lot of time with the boys throughout the entire week before we go to a women’s conference on Friday and Saturday. The Lord has provided me with a mother-in-law that is a professional grandmother! She doesn’t want to do anything other than be with our children. She keeps them when we travel. Our trips are normally 1-2 nights so we are not away from our little ones for long. Any trip longer than 2 nights (which is rare) means they come with us. She comes too to help us with the children.

If I didn’t have a husband who worked with me, and a mother-in-law to help me with my children, then I don’t know that I could do this. But God has constructed our circumstances to support the calling that He has on our lives.

Still, I worry like all mothers about whether or not I am balancing everything well, and I am sure that I will never be perfect at it. There are many nights that my dinner dishes don’t get washed, my laundry takes a couple days to complete, and toys are scattered on my living room floor. Things around here are far from perfect, but I believe that as long as I am taking care of God’s business by keeping my family as a priority and then focusing on the women to whom I am to minister, He will make up the slack.

I must admit that I have little time for other things. I say, “No” most often to invitations for lunch and get-togethers. That is the sacrifice that I am making for this season of life. A friend and mentor recently encouraged me by saying, “Priscilla, you can do this (ministry, wifehood, and motherhood), but you CANNOT do anything else!”

If you are a mother and are also considering serving the Lord in a full-time ministry capacity, ask the Lord for clarity on how you should proceed and when you should proceed. He will clearly tell you whether now is the appropriate time for you to move forward or whether you should wait until you are in a different season of your life. If He calls you to do something, He will equip you with the necessary tools to do it while at the same time allowing you to keep your priorities straight. It is and will always be a prayerful, day-by-day process of relying solely on Him to keep everything balanced and orderly.

QI have listened to Priscilla’s father, Dr. Tony Evans, on the radio for years and would like to know about her relationship with Him and how I can stay connected with his ministry?

A

Priscilla’s father is an extraordinary man, with an extraordinary purpose. God has used him all over the world to do wonderful things for the Kingdom of God. She has been privileged to sit under his anointed exegetical teaching of the Scriptures since she was a little girl. She is still a member at the church he founded and serves as senior pastor for over 30 years. In fact, all of her siblings are still members and now our children.

Dad and Mom have always had a true heart for ministry, but Priscilla and her siblings never got lost in the passion. They were their priority! And even today, they are still a very close-knit family. They see each other at least once a week (when their schedules allow) and they make time for huge family gatherings often. Priscilla can honestly say that they taught them the true meaning of integrity, ministry and integrity in ministry—as all of the siblings are in some form of ministry (speaking, teaching, singing). The same people Priscilla’s parents are on radio and television are the same people they are when no one else is around. This kind of lifestyle is what true ministry is all about.

If you are interested in staying connected with Priscilla’s dads’ ministry, log on to www.tonyevans.org for information regarding his national ministry, or to www.ocbfchurch.org regarding the church, Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship.

QCan I speak with Priscilla?

A

Thank you for understanding that Priscilla is in a very unique season of life right now. Between writing and studying, she usually spends most of her time cleaning up after and trying to satisfy the appetites of her three gargantuan sons! She’s such a relational person and would love to spend personal time with you but she wants to be certain that she doesn’t crowd out time for her family and that there is ample time to prepare for messages she’ll be teaching or books and resources that she’ll be writing.

Please know that we welcome your email or call to our ministry. And while Priscilla sees some of them, she is unable to review them all. But be assured, a highly compassionate woman who loves the Lord, and you, will be happy to respond.

QHow do I pursue a full-time career in women’s ministry?

A

We want to congratulate you on accepting God’s assignment for you. There are so many of us who run from what God wants us to do because it isn’t what we had in mind for ourselves. Priscilla has certainly tried to, but she has found that true contentment and peace comes only when we surrender to His will for us.

There are so many women who ask Priscilla about how to pursue ministry. Her response is always the same—give back to God the gift that He has given you. Let God continue to be in control. In other words, if you believe that God has called you into ministry, you can be sure that He will be faithful to open the doors and make a way for you to serve Him. He will continue to give you clear guidance as you walk in obedience to Him. All He asks you to do is obey His instructions that He gives you moment-by-moment and day-by-day. As you continue to follow, He will continue to lead.

Think about Abraham’s “call.” God told him in Genesis 12:1 “Go forth. . . to a land that I will show you.” He didn’t give him any specifics, just a command to follow. Abraham had to walk in faith and trust that God would continue to guide. Time and time again we see this same pattern in Scripture. God continues to guide as His children continue to obey.

So the question becomes twofold: what has God asked you to do right now? Are you being obedient to it? When Priscilla began in ministry, she certainly didn’t know the future plans that the Lord had in mind. She just knew what her passion was. She asked him to open the doors where He wanted her to go and she would go. Since she made herself available and yielded to Him, He has faithfully opened the doors of opportunity for His ministry to take place through her. In the past, she has made the mistake of trying to force doors open, but she has learned that her part in His ministry is simply to surrender, be available, and prepare herself to be used of God when the opportunity arises.

One more word: Remember the Lord has a specific ministry in mind for you. Don’t allow what you think the ministry should look like to replace His desire. For example, there are so many women who desire to be a speaker and seek opportunities to minister at large events. They spend money, time and energy trying to “create” opportunities and in doing so they are missing out on the ministry God has for them in their own back yard. While Priscilla was in seminary, her audience for 5 years was a group of 10 college age girls in a Bible Study. At that time, He hadn’t called her to the masses just to a group of women at Southern Methodist University. Ask the Lord to open your spiritual eyes to see the opportunities that He will place in your path and the grace to accept them no matter how small or insignificant they may seem.

Most of all, keep pursuing Him…not the ministry. True ministry is always an outpouring of your relationship with Him. The more you know Him, the more you will fall in love with Him. The more you fall in love with Him, the more you will be able to minister to others.

Priscilla highly recommends: Warren Wiersbe’s book on “Becoming a Servant of God.” Read it and be blessed!

QIt is often hard for me to read the Bible. I often prefer to read books about the Bible than the Bible itself. How can I begin to hear God really speak to me through the Word?

A

We understand how it can be easier to read books about the Bible rather than the Bible itself. But we believe that God wants to speak to you personally and specifically by the Holy Spirit through His Word. The Bible says clearly that HE is our teacher (1 John 2:27). When you got saved the Lord gave you a personal Bible professor in the person of the Holy Spirit. He searches the mind of God and delivers His message personally to you (I Corinthians 2:10).

When reading Scripture, your goal should not be the QUANTITY that you consume, but rather the QUALITY of what you actually digest and assimilate into your life. Priscilla normally just picks 1-2 verses at a time and reads them several times, very slowly. Mull over each phrase and write down your thoughts that come to mind about what those phrases means. Pray beforehand and ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you through those verses. Recall them throughout the day and ask the Lord to call them to your mind at the precise moment that an opportunity arises for you to implement the principal of those verses in your current situation.

Remember, reading His Word is not about the AMOUNT of words you read but rather about the impact that those words have on you. This is why ONE or TWO verses are often better than many. The Lord can and will use Scripture to speak to you in a very personal way and make an indelible mark on your life!

Why don’t you start with some of these verses. Remember, just one passage a day. Meditate on it and journal what the Lord speaks to you. Ask questions about the passage and determine to believe what it says and live accordingly. You will be surprised and amazed by the voice of God as He personally leads you into closer relationship with Himself through His Word.

QI saw Priscilla in the “Be Still” video on contemplative prayer. What is “contemplative prayer?” What place does meditation, silent prayer and solitude have in the place of the believer?

A

Terms like contemplative prayer and meditation can be controversial as believers try to understand their place in our faith. Just to be clear, we believe in prayer. And the type we are referring to is the kind described in the Word of God. The kind where believers in Jesus Christ can engage in communion with God in which we speak to Him and by the Holy Spirit, He speaks to us. We are convinced that the Bible describes prayer as a two-way street. Clearly, Scripture teaches us that prayer does involve meditation in which the believer chooses to “listen” to God by contemplating and concentrating on Scripture and God as He is revealed therein.

This is what separates Christian meditation from all other types. The Christian has much to gain from the command of God Himself that we “meditate on [the Scriptures]” (Joshua 1:8), “draw near to listen” (Eccl 5:1) and “be still” (Psalm 46:10) so that we can see God far more clearly then we can in the normal frantic rhythm of life. Quiet meditation (on Scripture) and the discipline of listening is a real part of prayer that I believe Scripture clearly promotes and encourages. By participating in the “Be Still” project, we by no means meant to convey our agreement with the theological viewpoints and positions of other participants yet we did believe (and still do) in the over-arching theme of the resource and that is why I agreed to do it.

The Psalmist himself said that not only would he bring his requests to God in prayer but then “wait expectantly” (Psalm 5:3) for God’s response. The prophet Habakkuk mirrors this philosophy of prayer when he says that after speaking to God he would then “climb up on the watchtower and wait to see what the Lord will say to me.” (Habakkuk 2:1). We are a proponent of the Christian encountering God in a fresh way that is relevant to his or her life, and we believe this can occur when we wait for God quietly with our Bibles outspread before us. As we ponder His Word, the Holy Spirit applies it to the circumstances of our lives. There is nothing mystical about this! In the New Age movement and Eastern religions the goal of meditation is to reach a state of “nothingness” or “emptiness” by clearing the mind. In Christianity, the focus of meditation is to fill the mind with thoughts of God as one ponders (the Hebrew definition of “meditate” from the Old Testament) the Scriptures and God Himself.

Practically speaking, the disciplines of solitude and silence have made a big difference in the life of this busy mother of three who, like so many others, is caught in the frantic pace of dinner dishes, errands and the demands of work and ministry. Priscilla has found a sweet peace in making time to be still in God’s presence. Taking Jesus’ own example to “depart to a lonely place to pray”(Mark 1:35) causes her to turn off the distractions that seek to steal her attention from Him and focus on God as He is revealed in His Word (even if sometimes it’s only for a few minutes at a time). She is not perfect at this – not nearly as consistent as she would like to be – but it is her goal.

We encourage you to try it for yourself. Any believer that carves out time to meet with God in the secret place of prayer will find Him waiting there with open arms to receive them (Matthew 6:6). What a great treasure.

QWhat do you think is the best way to prepare for marriage?

A

We are certainly no experts on marriage! Priscilla and Jerry have only been married for 17 very wonderful years. However, having shared these years together, they have seen that there are several things that they could have been more prepared for as they walk this road together. They are happy to share those things with you.

If Priscilla were single again and on the cusp of being married, she would prepare and train herself to be a true servant. Women (and men for that matter) should go into marriage knowing that service to others is the heart of the marital relationship. If you are getting into the relationship looking to be served, then you will be shockingly surprised at all that is required of you, and your spouse will soon be burnt out on all his attempts to keep you happy.

The most successful and loving marriages we have encountered are those in which both parties are fully engaged in the task of serving the other. When both husband and wife go into marriage with this mentality, then both are happy and content, because the other is continually meeting their needs. So, right now, take a personal inventory. Are you a servant? How can you begin to develop that characteristic in your life?

Prepare yourself to follow the leadership of your husband. Don’t take the reins of the relationship after you say, “I DO.” If he planned dates and took initiative in other areas of your life together before marriage, then allow him the same courtesy after marriage. Let him lead. If you become the leader in your relationship at some point, then he will stop fighting for his role and let you have it. Only then will you realize the huge mistake you have made. You will wake up one day and wonder what happened to the strong man you married. Allow him control even if it means he makes decisions that you don’t particularly care for. Follow Him graciously even as he learns from his own mistakes. You will be rewarded with a husband who is secure in his leadership, and as a result wants to romance you, love you, serve you, and value your ideas and opinions in your life and marriage.

QI have heard Priscilla teach a message in which she quotes a list of each book of the Bible and what it reveals about the character of God. Is there any way that I can get that list? It was so dynamic and impactful!

A

We are happy to share it with you. It has impacted our lives as well. Priscilla did not write these statements, they are the words to a song called, “He Is.” Enjoy them and pass them on!

In Genesis, He’s the breath of life

In Exodus, He is the Passover Lamb

In Leviticus, He’s our High Priest

In Numbers, the Fire by Night

Deuteronomy, He’s Israel’s guide

Joshua, He’s salvation’s choice

Judges, He’s Israel’s guard

In Ruth, the kinsmen’s Redeemer

1st and 2nd Samuel, our trusted Prophet

In Kings and Chronicles, He is Sovereign

In Ezra, He’s the true and faithful scribe

In Nehemiah, the Re-builder of broken walls and lives

In Esther, He’s Mordecai’s courage

In Job, the Timeless Redeemer

In Psalms, He is our morning song

In Proverbs, He is our wisdom

Ecclesiastes, He’s the time and season

In Song of Solomon, He is the lover’s dream

In Isaiah, He is the Prince of Peace

In Jeremiah, the Weeping Prophet

Lamentations, the Cry for Israel

Ezekiel, the Call from Sin

Daniel, the Stranger in the Fire

Hosea, the Forever Faithful

Joel, the Spirit’s Power

Amos, the Strong-arms that carry

Obadiah, the Lord our Savior

Jonah, the great Missionary

Micah, the Promise of Peace

Nahum, our Strength and Shield

In Habakkuk and Zephaniah, He brings revival

In Haggai, He restores that which was lost

In Zachariah, He’s our fountain

And in Malachi, He’s the Son of righteousness rising with healing in His wings

AND THAT’S JUST THE OLD TESTAMENT

In Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, He is God and Messiah

In the spirit filled book of Acts, He is the reigning fire from Heaven

AND in the Revelation, in the very end, when it’s all over, said and done, when time is NO MORE. He is and will always be the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Prince of Peace, Son of Man, Lamb of God, The Great I Am, Alpha and Omega, God and Savior

Priscilla is currently praying about the direction God will lead her next. Will you pray for her – that God will give her clarity on which Biblical personality or theme He would like for her to concentrate on and the best timing for it to be released? Then, ask Him to give her creativity, insight and revelation as she studies. Thank you so much!

QWhat is the best way for me to get in touch with Priscilla?

A

The best way to get in touch with Priscilla is to write her a letter. You can send her a letter to P.O. Box 2122, Cedar Hill, TX 75106. Priscilla would love to hear from you.

QWhat is Priscilla’s typical quiet time like?

A

Priscilla is always interested to know how people spend intimate time with God. She has learned however that God doesn’t want her to try to emulate anyone’s time with Him by following some type of formula or method. Our God is a very personal One, and likes to have unique experiences with each of His children. Just like intimacy between a man and woman, your time with the Lord should be unique to just the two of you.

With that being said, she is so happy to share with you what time with God looks like for her. In Priscilla’s quest to make the most of her time with God, she has asked other godly women the same question you are asking me, and they have encouraged her by sharing some details of their time with God. She has been able to take bits and pieces of what she has learned from them and create a time with God that works for her. You can do the same. Be encouraged in knowing that God has something special and unique for you.

She tries to separate her study time when she prepares for messages from her personal time with God. Often these two will overlap, but she tries to keep her quiet times from being an academic experience as much as possible. First, she normally spends time in prayer to God. Asking for forgiveness of sins, praising Him for who He is and thanking Him for all He has done. Then she lets Him know of any questions or concerns she has and tell Him her needs. She then asks Him to speak to her through His word. Then she will have Bible study. This may last 10 minutes or an hour. She just opens her Bible to whatever book of the Bible she is currently studying at the time and she reads the verses for the day. Then she records her thoughts about each verse asking herself about each one such as, what does this verse mean/command her to do, etc and is she being obedient to that? No doubt the Holy Spirit will speak to her clearly during this time. After this, she is most often directed into another time of prayer. She just talks to Him about what she has just studied. Then she spends time just being quiet. She sits in silence and sees what verses He might bring to her mind to think about, a person to pray for, or a situation to pray for. She just waits and sees what He wants to talk to her about. Sometimes during these “silent” prayer times Priscilla enjoys having some praise and worship music on. Listening to the words of these songs conjures up thoughts of God that she can mediate on. Then she ends her time by remembering what “hit her” during her time in His Word and how she can utilize that information to transform her actions during the day ahead of her.

Priscilla does journal. She writes down her notes from the verses she has read for the day. Also, whenever she feels like a particular passage is just jumping off of the pages and speaking directly to her, she will record that by putting the date by the verse in her Bible. She writes down important prayer requests and the date she prayed them, so that she can come back and see how God answers. Any time there are things that occur in her life in which she can clearly see the hand of God working—she will record those situations as well. She likes to be able to look back and see what God has done in her life. By doing this, she builds a “faith record” with Him. When He asks her to trust Him in present situations, she can see clearly how He has always come through for her in past ones.

We hope this helps you as you seek to spend personal time with God. Remember, He longs for intimacy with you. It’s a priority on His list and it should be a priority on ours as well. Friend, MAKE time to spend with Him. He is waiting to talk to anyone who will listen.

QHow can I really hear God speak to me personally?

A

Priscilla’s family has its own secret language! A certain expression, tone of voice or verbiage delivers very specific messages to her parents, siblings, children, and husband that no one else would know. They’ve tried to make others hip to our inside jokes, but it doesn’t work. No one knows the details of their secret language but them. They have known each other for so long and in such intimate ways that we have come to know each other’s voices.

John 10:27 says, “My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow Me.” In the Middle Eastern sheepfold, many flocks of sheep would stay for the night. When a shepherd came to retrieve his sheep, the porter would recognize the man as a true shepherd and allow him into the sheepfold. The shepherd would enter the sheepfold and call. From among the many sheep in the fold, only his sheep would recognize his voice as their true shepherd and follow him out to pasture. All of the sheep in the fold would physically hear the call, but only his sheep would recognize the voice, understand the meaning of the call, and follow the shepherd. In order to recognize their shepherd voice, they had to be his sheep. Just like Priscilla’s family, they had a secret language with their shepherd that only they were privy to. In order to really hear God’s voice, He must be your true Shepherd. To hear God’s voice in our lives and receive His divine direction, we must first be sure that we are a part of His sheepfold. Going to church doesn’t make us a part of his fold, participating in ministry doesn’t make us a part of His sheepfold, and neither does knowing the Bible backward and forward. Only when we come to Him and accept Him as our Savior do we gain the privilege of hearing and understanding His voice.

In John 8, Jesus spent the entire chapter trying to reveal a deep spiritual truth to the Pharisees. They are having trouble hearing, understanding, and believing His words. According to verse 47, the reason lay in the fact that they had the wrong shepherd. Even though they knew the Scriptures better than most people ever will, they still couldn’t understand the words of Jesus (John 5:39-40).

Have you been unable to hear God’s voice in your life? Have you ever heard God’s voice? If you are Christian, you have because one cannot even come to know Christ apart from supernatural revelation (1 Corinthians 12:3). But if you are not saved, then you cannot hear the voice of God regarding specific details of your life. An unbeliever cannot hear and comprehend the voice of God. According to 1 Corinthians 2:14, someone who is not in God’s family is completely incapable of understanding spiritual things. Spiritual discernment is impossible for someone who has not yet been born of the Spirit.

In John 10:27, the Greek word used for “hear” is akauotos. It doesn’t merely mean to be endowed with the faculty of hearing but also to understand and perceive the sense of what is said. Remember, when the shepherd called to his sheep, all of the sheep hear his voice, but only some recognized it as their shepherd, understand what he was saying, and followed Him.

After you become a Christian and as you continue to grow in the Lord, you will begin to learn how to recognize the Lord’s voice and understand His message. A newborn lamb is less capable of distinguishing his shepherd’s voice then an adult sheep. The lamb will learn as he gets to know his shepherd and as he practices responding to his shepherd’s voice. This skill comes over time as a relationship is built between the two.

Priscilla spoke with a friend of hers who works with sheep and cattle. He told her that his sheep don’t recognize his voice because he doesn’t spend enough individual time with them. The art of teaching a sheep to recognize his shepherd’s voice is a lost one. With the availability of modern technology, shepherds don’t have to spend individual time with the livestock. This keeps intimacy from developing and thus keeps the sheep from getting to know their owner’s voice.

Developing intimacy with the Shepherd is the key to knowing His voice. The more you spend time with Him, the more you can clearly hear Him.

Did you know that if a shepherd stands before his entire flock and calls one sheep out at a time they will know who he is calling simply by the tone of voice He uses? If he has spent enough one-on-one time with the sheep, then he can become intimate enough with them to acquaint each one to a sound that is uniquely theirs.

There will be no greater blessing to you or us than to have a relationship with the Good Shepherd in which we know when He is specifically calling to you. And we cannot tell you how much clearer God’s voice has become to us as we have gotten to be more intimate in our relationship with Him through His Word. When we open the pages of Scripture and become engaged in it, seeking to know Him, we become acquainted with His character, language, and tone of voice. This enables us to be prepared to recognize His voice, and by the power of the Holy Spirit discern the voices of strangers (John 10:5).

Today, commit to knowing Him more fully and completely so that you can hear the voice of your Lord calling, leading, and directing you into His will for your life.

We must recommend “Hearing God” by Henry Blackaby, “The Joy of Listening to Go” by Joyce Huggett, and the two books Priscilla has written on the topic which we think could be great resources for you: “He Speaks To Me” and “Discerning The Voice of God.”

QI am addicted to food. Priscilla has mentioned her struggle with weight. How do I let the Holy Spirit control my eating?

A

Our culture teaches that overindulgence in everything is the best way to live. This is revealed in the way Americans consume food. It is very easy for Priscilla to over eat because eating…it is just a hobby for her! Who doesn’t love good food? She sure does. Because of this, her weight always went up and down 20 lbs.

Priscilla remembers some time ago talking to the Lord specifically about this situation and telling Him that she wanted to experience freedom in this area. She didn’t want to be bound by food. She wanted to enjoy food as it was meant to be enjoyed; however at that time she wasn’t able to. She was always worried about everything that she put in her mouth. She was worried about her weight. Even though it tasted good, she never got to fully enjoy anything without feeling guilty. She wanted to find balance and freedom, because she knew that this was not what the Lord wanted.

He directed her to Galatians 5 that outlines the fruit of the Spirit. One of them is self-control. He told her that she was to allow His Spirit to exercise His control through her. If she would cooperate with this, then she would never again struggle with her weight. That was about 5 years ago, and she does not struggle with my weight now; she enjoys every bite of food that she eats. It is a wonderful feeling.

This is what Priscilla does: before meals, she prays and asks the Holy Spirit to let her know when she is satisfied. Normally about half way through the meal she feels “satisfied.” She can tell that if she eats past that point, she will just be taking in more than she needs. It’s just this “inner knowing.” You probably know this feeling. It normally comes FAR before you finish everything that is on your plate. When she obeys the Holy Spirit’s leading and stop eating at that point, she can enjoy every morsel and enjoy a waistline that doesn’t continually expand. This means that she can eat whatever she wants. She just doesn’t eat as much of it as she might want. Not only does this give her the pleasure of fitting into the clothes that are in her closet, but also it allows her to enjoy more meals. Have you ever noticed that when you overeat at one meal, you do not really get to enjoy the next one. You are too full to really take part in it. So really, when we overeat we are denying ourselves the full joy of every meal. When we cooperate with the Holy Spirit, we get to experience freedom in many areas that we didn’t before.

Priscilla never diets. She thinks that “diet” is a curse word! She just eats what she likes…most often, just half of it. (She also tries to make sure there is something green on her plate.)

Now, please know, Priscilla is not perfect at this, but she sure loves the wonderful feeling of victory that comes to her when she obeys—spiritually speaking and practically speaking.

She has done a little research and has found a great book that deals with this topic, and it will help you as you find freedom in this area of your life. “Praying God’s Word” by Beth Moore. Get it and turn to chapter 8 right away. Beth gives you the necessary tools to fight against the stronghold of food addiction in your life…you will be blessed.

Be encouraged my friend. God sees your heart and is ready to do HUGE miraculous things with you in this area. He is just waiting for you to join Him. We hope that this helps you a little bit. Don’t wait until tomorrow to start listening to the Spirit. Start today. You will be so glad you did.

QDo you believe that God still speaks to modern believers using signs and wonders just as He did in the Old Testament?

A

Absolutely! Our God is great . . . greater than our understanding or imagination. He can do whatever He wants to do, however He wants to do it. Any person who believes or teaches that God cannot or will not use miraculous means today is mistaken. We can say this with boldness since we can tell you of many instances in my own life when God graciously revealed Himself to us in ways that were completely supernatural.

Our concern is that modern believers often seek the sensational (appealing to the five senses) means of hearing God over the most incredible means possible—the indwelling presence of God. While we often wish for what Old Testament believers had (visible signs, prophets, etc) they longed for what we have—God’s consistent, constant presence. Time and time again we see them longing for direct contact with God instead of having to rely on others to mediate. Even David begged in prayer,“Cast me not from your presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me” (Psalm 51:11). David wanted continued connection with God Himself through the Spirit. Have no doubt about it, the precious Spirit is indeed the most effective means of communication and is the primary way God wants to speak to us in this generation.

Although God still uses external means to speak, these means are not to be the foundation for us to hear God rather they should only confirm what God is saying to us by His Spirit. The believer shouldn’t first look outward to hear God. Our eyes and ears should focus inward to the Holy Spirit and then turn our attention externally to see how God is using circumstances to confirm His Word to us.

QWhat are the scriptures and affirmations that Priscilla speaks over her boys every morning?

A

Here’s what Priscilla always say:

You are a man of integrity and character. You will love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul and all your strength. You will be a blessing to your teachers and a blessing to your friends. You are the head and not the tail. You are above and not beneath. You are a leader and not a follower.

After that, I normally say only a few more things before the day begins . . .

You are the temple of the Holy Spirit.
You are a man of valor.
You have the whole armour of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil.
You will bless the Lord at all times and His praises shall continually be in your mouth.

This could be a fun activity for you – constructing a statement to speak over your children (or to speak over YOURSELF for that matter) that is suited to what you hope for them to become in Christ. They might put their hands up over their ears in protest every now and then but WHO CARES! They WILL hear you and what you are saying will nestle deep into their souls over time.

Here are a list of Scripturally-based affirmation statements to get you going.